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As German vendor IGEL Technology continues to reshape the North American perception of its thin-client offerings behind an aggressive, software-led marketing campaign, Platinum partner XenTegra has seen success through a dynamic sales strategy of its own.

The solution provider, launched by former Citrix employees and consultants in 2012, is one of 17 Platinum-level IGEL partners, which means its 15-person team receives access to IGEL-delivered sales enablement training and joint marketing support, among other benefits. Within a year of earning Platinum status, the Huntersville, N.C.-based company won IGEL's Excellence Award at Citrix Synergy 2017.

One of the biggest reasons for that distinction: XenTegra founder Andy Whiteside pioneered the usage of a hands-on IGEL OS conversion workshop – both in live and, more recently, virtual settings.

It's all part of the differentiation strategy for XenTegra, which Whiteside said has enjoyed 100 percent revenue growth for five straight years.

"At some point, every great technology company has to realize that they need to be an equally great marketing company if they want their technology to be viable, if they want their technology to get out there in the industry and stay out front," Whiteside said. "I think that IGEL realized that early in their U.S. infancy."

The conversion workshop concept is simple: Potential customers bring in an old device that they want to convert. Partners like XenTegra do so either using converter software or the UD Pocket, a thumb drive from which users can upload the IGEL operating system directly to the device. Then the devices can be enrolled in the management solution, which allows salespeople to easily demonstrate the policy management software before their eyes.

"It's certainly working well to create pipeline," Whiteside said. "The idea behind that is no different than the same ideas we have around Citrix and other technologies that are easy to demonstrate.

"We're not a company that leads with a lot of infrastructure or route switch-type technologies, primarily because they're not as fun to sell. They're not as fun to show. It's easy to sell a technology that demonstrates well."

With efficiency and increased reach in mind, XenTegra is now hosting these demos in thousands of locations via webinars. Instead of an in-person presentation, which involves travel expenses and other associated costs, potential customers receive a virtual PC and a virtual machine to convert. Eventually, Whiteside intends to create a setup where customers can convert their own device and bring it under management completely through the virtual gateway.

"I want you to see what I have to say, see me demonstrate it and then I want you to test-drive it yourself," he said. "At the end of the test drive, if you tell me you don't want it, that's fine. But at least I know you've gotten your hands on it and you've got an educated stance on why you want it or don't want it."